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COWS4YOU · 10-27-2009, 02:44 AM

James Cook was born in the Yorkshire village of Marton on October 27, 1728. He was an English explorer, navigator and cartographer. His first experience at sea came at the age of 18 when he signed on as a deckhand aboard a Whitby collier carrying coal to London. He made three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, mapping many areas and recording several islands and coastlines on European maps for the first time. He is most notable for the British finding the east coast of Australia, finding the Hawaiian Islands and the first mapping of Newfoundland and New Zealand. Along with the discovery of New Zealand, James Cook is credited as the first captain to realize that a diet that included limes would prevent scurvy. Scurvy is a disease resulting in the deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. Scurvy leads to the formation of spots on the skin, spongy gums, and bleeding from the mucous membranes. The spots are most abundant on the thighs and legs, and a person with the ailment looks pale, feels depressed, and is partially immobilized. Advanced cases would result in loss of teeth, so this was a great discovery on his part.
During his lifetime, he sailed twice around the world. He crossed the Antarctic Circle and found new islands and landscapes in North America and the South Pacific. During his trips, he spent a lot of time on science experiments, and mapping new areas. He also wrote a lot of books about what he found.

Everyone have a great Tuesday and have a glass of orange juice